Christine Rosamond 1947-1994

"She painted from the heart."

by Jack Keller

My first introduction to the art of Christine Rosamond was in 1976, when my brother bought a numbered print called Dawn from Garver Johnson's Royce Galleries, Ltd. in Denver. Indeed, he introduced me to Garver--an avid Rosamond collector--one of a limited number of dealers who were then distributing Rosamond's works to a growing league of admirers and collectors. Dawn is both striking beautiful and hauntingly sensual, and Garver showed me the original oil painting from which the lithograph was later made. Garver and I stay in touch to this day, even though the intervening years have taken me to San Francisco and then Texas while he remained in Denver.

Rosamond, a self-taught artist, exhibited her first two paintings in Los Angeles in 1972. Within six months she would achieve national acclaim. By the time I discovered her, she had become the most published artist in the world, surpassing even Norman Rockwell and Salvadore Dali. And yet, her name is not nearly as well-known as many of the artists she has surpassed in print.

I clearly recall the first time I ever spoke to her. I had just returned to San Francisco after visiting her gallery in Carmel-by-the-Sea. I had been there to try to obtain a specific form of a piece I had once owned but lost through a divorce, but Christine had been at a City Council meeting. At the time, I owned the second largest collection of her artist proofs in the world. My phone rang, I answered, "Hello, this is Jack," and this very vibrant and cheerful voice said, "Jack, this is Christine Rosamond." I said, "You've just made my day." She said, "Thank you. I understand you want an artist proof of Tristess." I said yes and she said, "I want you to have it." It arrived by mail four days later.

I talked to her three more times, but met her only once--in Carmel, just before I moved to Texas. Less than a decade after I first spoke to her, on March 26, 1994 the world lost this very talented and treasured artist on the Pacific's rocky coast. My friend and former wife, Michele, called from half-way across the country the next morning to tell me Christine had drowned while swimming off Carmel with her daughter. I was too stunned for words. My soul cried at the realization I would never see or talk to this wonderful woman again. The world, indeed, had lost a gem.

The artistic legacy of Christine Rosamond is a body of work which eloquently expresses the essence of femininity with a simple charm and beauty that can only originate in the heart of the artist. We can only wonder what further joys she might have brought us.

I collect a unique form of Rosamond art--artist proofs of her hand-drawn lithographs and continuous-tone lithographs. I also own a twice signed poster (once when it was made and again when she sold it to me). Four other pieces I own are twice signed. I also own two collector's prints. Some of the Rosamond's I own are:

Angela

Blue Ice

Cape

Circa 1980

Comtemplation

The Crossing

Dawn

Denim and Silk

Galletea

Katherine

Lena & Her Sisters

Maggie

Megan

Melinda

Sarah

Simone

Summer Mood

Tristess

Victoria

Rosamond & Company, her gallery in Carmel, California, remains the home of her artistic creations, although 26 galleries feature her work. I encourage you to read more about this marvelous woman at the late artist's gallery's web site. Ask them for a catalog. Once you see her work, you will want to own it. There are only so many pieces that bear her hand signature. There are many more that don't. All are worth having and displaying.

On April 4th, 1997, I requested a biography to use on my web site from Rosamond's former husband. He sent me a single-sided sheet of paper containing a bio, which I modified and displayed on this web site to over 117,000 viewers until I was contacted by Rosamond Publishing on March 1st, 2000 and asked to remove it and all images of the artist and her work. I have done so, but sincerely do not believe Christine would have acted in the same manner as they were displayed to show the public the genius of the artist. So, if you want to see what she or her work looks like, you have to contact the people who just may be more interested in the copyrights they control than the legacy of the late artist. You can contact them at: